Swiss Stories

Lotti Latrous © Jacques Kouao

Lotti Latrous

Society
Liselotte, or Lotti for short, chose to give up her life of ease and comfort and devote herself, body and soul, to AIDS patients. She has now spent two decades caring for women dying of AIDS-related illnesses and their children who are also infected with HIV. Her work has earned her the accolade 'Swiss woman of the year 2004'.
train

Swiss public transport – going places for 175 years

History
175 years ago, the Spanisch-Brötli (Spanish bun) line between Baden and Zurich was the first railway to operate in Switzerland. Today, public transport brings hundreds of thousands of people to work and school every day – even in the most remote valleys and regions of Switzerland. Public transport connects and keeps us moving, and it is helping Switzerland achieve its climate goals.

by Union of Public Transport

Hand hygiene © Julien Gregorio/phovea/HUG

COVID-19: Dr Clean Hands

Science & Education
Hydroalcoholic gel is a much sought-after product these days. It was developed by Dr Didier Pittet, infectious disease expert and director of the Infection Control Programme of Geneva University Hospitals (HUG). A pioneer in hospital hygiene, Dr Pittet developed, together with HUG pharmacist William Griffiths, this hydroalcoholic solution which has revolutionised hand disinfection methods in medical settings. Rubbing one's hands with this product is a very simple step that has been adopted worldwide and saves 8 million lives every year.
Start-up

Swiss start-ups provide competition for WhatsApp, Gmail and Facebook

Economics
Communications security has become a major social issue. In Switzerland some twenty companies have developed comparable software solutions for chatting, messaging and data storage which respect user privacy.
Gotthard base tunnel

The legend of the Gotthard pass

History
Switzerland's geography is extreme to say the least, ranging from the long and winding to the steep and narrow, with the occasional sheer drop thrown in. And to experience it you don't need to cross the Alps on an elephant like Hannibal did. Or at least that's the way the story goes... The Gotthard pass is truly a living legend.
Gavillet & Rust, Biennale Venise, 2011 © Gavillet & Rust

Swiss (new) style

Society
The Most Beautiful Swiss Books is a prestigious annual award that has become an international cultural benchmark, building on the golden age of Swiss graphic design that began after the Second World War. The success story of this Swiss speciality is far from over.
Julien Gremaud

by Julien Gremaud

Cow 'Chou-Fleur' © Mavachamoi

Swiss cows and goats seek sponsors

Society
Ever thought of adopting a cow or a goat to help support Swiss farmers? The idea is catching on in our cities and is proving popular with the farmers too.

by Tatiana Tissot